Magic, Monsters, and a Little Bit of Madness
by stickysillyputty
Summary: Our favourite demigods, witches, and wizards are all grown up with children of their own. What will happen when these children attend Hogwarts? Will they form friendships... or rivalries? PJO/HoO and Harry Potter next generation fic
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everybody! It's stickysillyputty, back with a new fic! This is my first crossover, and I'm so excited about it. A few important notes before you read; This is a next generation fic. It takes place nineteen years after the end of "The Deathly Hallows", and nineteen years after the end of "Blood of Olympus". The fic focuses on the lives of the children of characters from both stories. And, yes, several of them are my original characters. So without further ado….**

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Leo was making pancakes when he got the message. Calypso was sitting at the kitchen table reading the news. It was about as ordinary as a Sunday morning could be.

Suddenly, the air in front of him shimmered and then condensed into a cloud of silvery mist. After a moment, Leo could make out a face in the mist.

"Frank! How are you, man?! How's Hazel?" He asked, a grin spreading across his face.

They all kept in touch, of course, but he missed seeing his friends all the time. Frank smiled too, but his eyes were serious.

"Hi Leo. Look, how soon can you and Calypso get to Camp Half-Blood?"

Calypso stood next to Leo and peered into the Iris message, her brow slightly creased with worry.

"Is everything all right at the camp? Sammy hasn't gotten carried away with one of his pranks again, has he?" she inquired, with a nervous laugh.

"No, nothing like that. You know how Jason and Piper have been filling in at camp ever since Chiron went to visit his cousins in Britain? Well, they just messaged me. Chiron's back, and he wants to talk to us. Percy and Annabeth, Reyna and Matt; the whole gang. Even Will and Nico are coming. They'll have to use shadow travel if they want to get there quickly."

"Okay. I hate having to close the garage, but Calypso's been pestering me to take a day off anyway. She says I work too hard." He smirked at his wife, who rolled her eyes.

"Did Chiron give any reason for this impromptu get-together?" She asked. "You don't think… It's not another prophecy, is it?"

"I doubt it. Rachel would have contacted us herself if her daughter had given a prophecy. But you should get there as fast as you can. Chiron said it was urgent." With that, the Iris message closed, leaving Leo and Calypso feeling rather bewildered.

A few hours later, Leo and Calypso sat around the ping pong table in the Big House, along with nearly a dozen anxious couples. It was good to see so many familiar faces, though Leo was slightly worried about why they had been called there. Finally, Chiron spoke.

"I am glad you've all made it, especially on such short notice. I know you weren't planning on coming for several days to pick up your children." He said, gazing at them from the end of the table.

"It's great to see you too, Chiron, but I think we'd all like to know why it is that you've called us here." Annabeth said. Her blonde hair now had a few strands of grey, but her eyes were as piercing as ever.

"Yes, yes of course. Tell me, how many of you have children who are, or will soon be, eleven years old?"

Leo put up his hand, and was rather surprised when everyone else put up their hands as well.

"I knew our kids were all close in age, but that's a pretty big coincidence." Percy said, evidently as surprised as Leo.  
Annabeth shook her head.

"I've told you, Seaweed Brain, there's no such thing as coincidences for demigods." Annabeth chided her husband, her expression darkening.

"Indeed, said Chiron. I called you here today to discuss the options for your children's futures. I know that almost all of you had issues in traditional schooling. I'd like to provide an alternative, so your children don't have to suffer as you did."

"Are you suggesting we take our kids out of school?" Reyna's husband Matt asked indignantly. Reyna put a hand on his arm, trying to calm him.

"I don't see the problem, Chiron." Jason said. "Several of us grew up in Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. We learned how to fight, and besides, the camps are the only safe places in the world for descendants of the gods."

"Yes… until recently that had been my belief. However, my European relatives have informed of another safe haven for children with special abilities." Will looked up excitedly.

"Chiron, are you saying what I think you're saying? Is there a camp for demigods in Europe?" Chiron smiled.

"Not a camp Will, but a school. A boarding school where students learn wonderful skills, things that I could certainly never teach. And yes, it is in Europe. My Scottish cousins live on the school grounds." Annabeth frowned.

"But Chiron… I thought there weren't demigods in Europe anymore? Sure, the gods resided there a long time ago, and perhaps the still visit occasionally, but a whole school full of demigods? That can't be." Chiron's cryptic smile widened.

"My dear Annabeth, you misunderstand me. I never said that these children were demigods. They are, in fact, witches and wizards."

As soon as the words left his lips, the room erupted into chatter. This was the stuff of fairy tales; surely Chiron wasn't serious? After a minute or so, Chiron called for quiet.

"The school is called Hogwarts. Students attend from the age of eleven to seventeen. They learn magic; magic of a sort I never knew existed. The centaurs who live in the forest surrounding the school introduced me to the Headmistress, a daughter of Hecate. She has only recently accepted the post at Hogwarts, but she ensures me that the school is very safe. They use similar enchantments to keep out unwanted threats and mortals―which they call 'muggles'―as we do to ensure the safety of our camp. I was skeptical at first, but after some demonstrations and a tour of the school, she had me thoroughly convinced. Not to mention the biggest benefit; there are far fewer monsters in Britain. Most of them died out when the gods left."

The room was silent for several long moments. Then Piper spoke.

"Chiron, are you seriously suggesting that we all move to Britain?"

"No, no, of course not. You all have careers here; besides, you are the best monster fighters I know of. You are needed here. However, I would like all of you to consider enrolling your children in this school. As you know, monsters generally start noticing demigods when the reach eleven or twelve years of age. If they stay at Hogwarts during the year, they'll be safe. They can return home during winter and spring vacations; and in the summer, they can return to train here at camp." Chiron glanced around hopefully at the assembled crowd. Nico stood up.

"How come this school is so eager to accept demigods all of a sudden? If they wanted to us to come, why not extend the olive branch years ago?

"As I mentioned earlier, Hogwarts recently accepted a new Headmistress. I am fairly certain that every previous Headmaster or Mistress was unaware of the existence of the gods and their children… Though I suspect their stories may be intertwined with ours in ways no one ever interpreted. This is part of the reason Twyla Fiddleworth invited your children to the school. She wants them to delve deep into the mysteries of the wizarding world, and see if they can find any connections between it and their own world; the world of gods and monsters." Once again, silence settled over the assembled crowd. Feeling uncomfortable, Leo broke it.

"Hey, I'm all for this!" Everyone, including Calypso, turned to stare at him. "Think about it people; wouldn't you have loved to go to some awesome magic school in Britain when you were that age? Plus, no monsters? How awesome is that? And British people have funny accents, funny food, funny everything! The kids will love it!" Everyone stared at him like he was on fire. He had to double check to ensure he wasn't. After a moment's pause, Rachel spoke.

"I think Leo has a point. It'll be a new experience, and they shouldn't have too much trouble adjusting. What do you think, honey?" Her husband Adam looked thoughtful.

"I know Cassandra would love it. I can't speak for the other kids, but they would all have a chance to learn something. And if they didn't like it, they could always back out and come home." The others gradually began to nod.

"Of course, the final decision is that of the children." Chiron hastened to add. "We cannot force them to do something they don't wish to. If they need convincing, though, you may want to mention that Hogwarts students will learn to fly on brooms during their first year. Is there anyone who is not willing to go forth with this endeavor?" Some of the parents still looked apprehensive, but no one spoke up.

"In that case…" Chiron withdrew seven thick envelopes, addressed to:

Mr. T. Grace  
Ms. P. Jackson  
Mr. S. Valdez  
Ms. M. Zhang  
Mr. A. Di Angelo-Solace  
Ms. H. Martinez  
Ms. C. Turner

"Oh, and did I mention school starts on the first of September?" Chiron said casually.

"That's in less than a week!" Annabeth exclaimed. Chiron chuckled.

"I assure you, there will be enough time. I would be grateful if you all proposed the idea to children today. That way they'll have a night to think about it. If they choose to accept the invitation, they'll have most of tomorrow to pack. You'll depart for Europe tomorrow evening, after the end of the summer ceremony. Then you'll have a couple days to buy everything they'll need, and maybe some extra time to sightsee. You're invited to leave any of your children who are younger than eleven here at camp for a few days, but I suggest you take them with you. They'll no doubt want to say a final goodbye to their siblings." Leo nodded somberly before speaking.

"Sound's cool. Is there any food around here? This meeting kind of interrupted my breakfast." Everyone else groaned and laughed, and his wife swatted his shoulder. He just grinned. Who'd of thought he'd ever get to visit Europe? Calypso had been telling him he needed a vacation, but this had to be more than anything she could have thought up.

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 **Well? What did you think? Please review and let me know! Chapter two will be up shortly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again! It's stickysillyputty, and first off I'd like to thank the lovely people who have reviewed so far. It means a lot to me. I hope you like this chapter as much.**

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Percy paced the length of the hallway. He wasn't sure how he was going to tell his kids. Annabeth was right; they didn't know anything about this school. Did he really want his daughter to become a witch? What did that even mean? The first image that popped into his head was a warty, green-skinned woman with a pointed hat. Okay, sure, that was probably stereotyping, but still. How would she react to the news? How couldn't just walk up to her and say, "Hey sweetie, your mother and I are sending you away to boarding school in Scotland!"

"Well, this is new. Usually I'm the one who overthinks things." Annabeth said, chuckling slightly as she turned the corner into the hallway. Percy sat down against the wall and sighed loudly.

"I just don't know how she's going to take it. And what about Robbie? How's he going to react to the news that his sister's going to be living in Europe for a year?"

Annabeth sat down next to him, looking pensive. "Percy, do you remember when your mom first told you, you were going to stay at Camp Half-Blood? It was quite a shock, but you adjusted pretty quickly, right?"

"Yeah…. But Camp Half-Blood isn't on a different continent! Besides, Pearl has a hard time staying out of trouble in regular schooling; how's she going to do in some stuffy British private school?" Percy said, his tone quarrelsome.

Annabeth shook her head exasperatedly. "If you had stayed behind to talk to Chiron with me, you wouldn't be asking these questions. He assured me that the Headmistress allows plenty of room for creativity, and doesn't have a problem more, um, high-strung students. He also said they do a lot of hands-on work; you know Pearl would love that."

"I guess so." Percy said reluctantly.

Annabeth looked at him for a few moments, and then smirked knowingly. "You don't have a problem with this school at all, do you? You just don't want to lose your little girl."

Percy groaned.

"Look, I get that you want to protect Pearl, but we've got to let her try new things. Who knows? She might love it. But she'll never get the chance to find out if we don't find her and tell her now."

A short time later, Percy and Annabeth hovered near the entrance of the sword-fighting arena. The sound of metal against clanging against metal could be heard echoing from within. They stepped inside, and saw several teens duelling with swords, daggers and javelins. Annabeth strode forward purposefully, with Percy trailing after her.

Eventually they spotted two children taking turns striking and parrying. The boy noticed them first, and froze. His sister's blade nearly grazed his arm, before she whirled around to see what he was staring at.

"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" she asked, adjusting her crooked glasses. "You said you weren't coming for another two days."

"I know." Annabeth said. "There's been a change of plans. Why don't we go to the Poseidon cabin to talk?"

The boy pouted. "But Pearl was going to show me this new move she learned!"

Percy laughed and ruffled his son's untidy blonde hair.

"Trust me, Robbie; you're going to want to hear this news."

On the walk to the Poseidon cabin, Robbie recounted everything that had happened over the summer.

"I almost made it to the top of the climbing wall―I would have gotten to the top if that Ares kid hadn't elbowed me. Oh and did I tell you we won capture the flag last week?"

"Yes, you've said that at least twice already." Pearl said, rolling her eyes. "What you've failed to mention is how you almost gave away our position with your incessant chattering."

"Yeah? Well why don't you tell them how you set off that trap the Hermes cabin laid out?"

"Looks like we're here!" Percy interrupted loudly, trying to keep the siblings' bickering from evolving into a massive feud.

The Poseidon cabin looked much as it always had. Two of the bunks were set up, but only one really looked lived in. Pearl spent more of her time in the Athena cabin. Percy sat next to the gurgling saltwater fountain. It had been rebuilt by Poseidon; it now showed a rearing horse with an owl perched on its back.

Pearl sat down on her bunk and crossed her arms. "Could you please explain why you're here early? Are there other parents here too? I could have sworn I saw Uncle Leo earlier."

Annabeth sat next to her daughter, clutching the envelope tightly.

"We came because Chiron asked us to. He wanted to discuss something with us and some other people with kids your age. There's this new opportunity―"

"Pearl, do you want to go to school in Britain?" Percy burst out, earning a glare from his wife. He ignored it and went on ahead. "There's this school where kids can learn magic and stuff and Chiron wants you to go there." He said without drawing breath.

His daughter stared at him open-mouthed, and his wife shook her head in frustration.

"Way to go, Seaweed Brain. I was going to introduce it slowly, let her get used to the idea―but no! You have to go and spring it on her all at once! You have no tact whatsoever!"

"Whoa, hang on." Robbie interjected. "Did you say Britain? As in, Europe? As in tea and biscuits and The Queen and that boy band Pearl's obsessed with?"

Pearl's cheeks flushed bright pink. "Robert Damasen Jackson, you shut up! She shrieked indignantly. "Dad, what are you talking about? We're moving to Europe? Why? Is it because of the monsters?"

"No. Well yes, partially. We're not moving to Britain, but Chiron wanted us to ask you if you'd be interested going to a boarding school there. Several of your friends might be going as well. And yes, there are fewer monsters in there, so you won't have to worry about that, and be able to focus more on your schooling."

"But… why do I need to go? Why does Chiron want you to send me away?" she asked, tugging nervously on the end of her black ponytail.

"Oh, princess, it's not like that." Percy said, putting an arm around her. "We don't want you to leave, and it's not like you'd never see us again. Chiron just wants to see how demigods would do in this school. You see, the kids who go there are special too. They can do things other people can't, and Chiron wants you and the others to find out why that is."

"So, he wants us to spy for him?" she asked warily.

"Look Pearl, your dad and I only want what's best for you." Annabeth said comfortingly. "We'd never let anyone use you for spying or anything else. The kid's at this school learn about magic―"

"Magic? Like the stuff Aunt Hazel can do? Or the kids in the Hecate cabin?" Robbie asked, his green eyes bright with interest.

"Maybe, maybe not." Annabeth said, shooting a look at Robbie. He looked sheepish and stopped interrupting. "I'll admit that I've never heard of witches and wizards living in Europe―or anywhere else, for that matter. Think about it―you could help introduce two groups of magical people."

"Like how you and Dad helped unite Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter?"

"Sure." Percy said quickly. "So Pearl, do you think you're going?"

"I don't know. It seems like a once in a lifetime chance―will Robbie be staying here?"

"Yes. Robbie will continue going to school here." Annabeth said firmly. "He's got two years before he's old enough to go to Hogwarts."

Robbie burst out laughing. "The school is called Hogwarts? What kind of name is that? And also, if Pearl gets to go to school in England, can I at least stay at camp year-round?"

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but Annabeth cut him off.

"We'll discuss that later. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't continue in ordinary schooling―"

"Except for the fact that everyone thinks I'm a freak." He said grumpily.

"And right now your sister needs to make a decision."

Pearl looked apprehensive. "Can I sleep on it? She asked hopefully. "I just don't know if I'm ready to make a decision yet."

Annabeth pursed her lips.

"Sure. Just try to think about it. The sooner you decide the better. You see, school starts on the first of September."

"What! There's so much stuff to do! How can I pack and prepare and research..."

Percy laughed to himself. "Like mother, like daughter."

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 **If you like it let me know. If you hate it, I'd like to know that too. If you have an idea or a suggestion, please tell me! Chapter three will be up very soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**It's stickysillyputty with chapter three! I'd just like to take a moment to thank my awesome friend and editor, HappyLucyLocket. I'd also like to thank RoxPox, who's been super encouraging ever since I first started writing. This fic wouldn't' have been possible without them.**

 **Wow, that came out sounding like an acceptance speech for an award. But seriously, you guys; thanks.**

Adrian di Angelo-Solace was eating breakfast at the Hades table when he felt the tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a boy with almond-shaped eyes and unruly dark hair.

"Meeting in Bunker nine as soon as you finish" he whispered, so that only Adrian and his cousin, Marie, could hear. Before Adrian could speak, the boy had jogged away.

"Do you think it's about… you know. What they told us last night?" Marie asked, brushing her hair out of her slanted golden eyes. Adrian shrugged.

"Who knows with Sammy? It probably is though. His parents are here too." Marie shook her head disbelievingly.

"Imagine Sammy at a fancy private school. He'd destroy the place within a week. Hey, do you think it's true?"

"Do I think what's true?" he asked, although he was pretty sure he knew what she was talking about.

"Everything!" She exclaimed. "About the witches and wizards and magic and all that!" Adrian raised an eyebrow. It took a lot to excite Marie. She was usually the calming presence in their group.

"I don't know any more than you do. Maybe Sammy has some answers. We should get over to Bunker Nine." Marie grabbed her last piece of toast and they set off. Adrian wondered if he should tell his younger sister where he was going, then decided against it. She would probably be too busy hanging out with the Apollo cabin to notice he was missing.

Ten minutes later, they were standing at the entrance to Bunker Nine. A piece of paper was taped to the door. It read "Password is BURN" in rather messy writing. Beneath it was a keypad with only three buttons. Marie groaned.

"Do you know it? I've only memorized the first half." Adrian cracked his knuckles.

"This might take a few tries." Dash dot dot, dot dot dash, dot dash dot, dot dash. An annoying automated voice came out of the speaker.

"That password is INCORRECT." Adrian frowned and tried again. Dash dot dot dot, dot dash, dot dah dot, dot dash.

"That password is INCORRECT." He took a deep breath and once again started punching keys. Dash dot dot dot, dot dot dash, dot dash dot, dash dot. The door slid open to reveal Sammy, who was laughing crazily. Marie put her hands on her hips.

"Sammy, have you known we were out there the entire time?"

"Maybe." Sammy said, grinning cheekily.

"Why didn't you let us in?!" Adrian demanded.

"C'mon guys, it was pretty funny. Besides, it's your fault for being late. Everyone else is already here." Adrian rolled his eyes.

"Sammy, I've told you time and time again; descendants of Hades are not morning people."

"Yeah, well you're also the grandson of Apollo, and if the sun isn't an early riser, I don't know what is." Sammy said with a smirk.

"Come on, you two." Marie said, leading the boys into the main part of bunker nine. In one corner, a mishmash of rugs and random furniture had been thrown together to create a sort of den. Four people were already sitting there.

Sammy flopped down onto a beat-up couch beside a sandy-haired boy. Marie perched on the arm of a plush chair, which was occupied by a girl with short, dark hair and amber eyes. At the foot of the chair lay a girl sprawled on the shag carpet. Her strawberry blond hair was streaked with purple. Adrian pulled up an ottoman and settled down next to the girl with piercing grey eyes, who was sitting cross-legged on a lopsided coffee table. Sammy addressed the assembled group.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that all of you got some interesting news yesterday." Everyone nodded and murmured assent. "So, our parents have told us some pretty weird stuff. Now, what are we going to do about it?"

"I'm not sure if I'm going." Said the grey-eyed girl. "This is a huge decision, and we were only given a days' notice… "

"You worry too much, Pearl. The purple-haired girl said, blowing her long bangs out of her green eyes. "The only thing I don't like about this is the uniforms. What about freedom of expression? And why do we need cloaks? Is it really that cold in Scotland? I don't like places that are never sunny. The girl in the arm chair sighed.

"Honestly, Cassie, there are more important things to worry about than the clothes or the weather. What if we were only invited there so they could spy on us? Maybe they're trying to find out our secrets so they can invade the demigod camps or something!" Sammy chuckled.

"Oh, Hylla. Roman to the core, aren't you? Always ready for an attack. What do you think, TJ?" The boy on the couch next to Sammy looked excited.

"I think this is pretty cool. I mean, anything has to be better than schools in America. I would have been expelled three times already if my mom hadn't charmspoken the Principal. But Hylla's right; we'll have to be on our guard. I don't know about you guys, but my parents told me that I could only go if I promised not to let anyone know I'm a demigod. Hey, Adrian, you've been to Europe, haven't you? What's it like?" Everyone turned to look at Adrian. He swallowed, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"I've been to Italy, yes. But I'm pretty sure it's not a lot like England… or Scotland… or wherever it is we're going."

 _"If_ we're going." Marie corrected. "I'd love to go, but I'm only interested if all of you are coming as well."Hylla still looked skeptical.

"What about Matias and Carmen? I don't want to go a whole year without seeing my siblings. Or my parents, for that matter!" Marie touched her shoulder, which seemed to calm her.

"It won't be a whole year. My mom said we could come back here during winter and spring breaks. Plus, they'll send you letters."

"Come on Hylla, give it a shot." Pleaded Pearl. "You won't know how it is until you try it."

"Yeah, Hyll. School won't be the same if you're not there." TJ cajoled. Hylla bit her lip, than finally nodded. Sammy whooped in excitement.

"Pack your bags, kiddos! We're going to England!"

Several hours later, all the demigods in the camp were gathered around the campfire. Many of them were leaving the following day, while others wouldn't be leaving at all. Eleven of them would be leaving in less than an hour. Adrian looked across the flames and caught sight of his sister, Bianca. She was sitting, as usual, amongst the other Apollo Campers. With her blond hair and bright smile, she could be easily mistaken for a direct descendant of the sun god, instead of a legacy. Only her dark eyes set her apart. She'd been slightly miffed when she'd heard she would be leaving early. She'd obviously wanted to spend the last night at camp with her cabin-mates. Sometimes it bothered him that she would rather spend time with her distant cousins than her own brother.

But he had Marie, and they had been best friends since birth. She always seemed to understand how he was feeling- like right now. Noticing his woebegone expression, she squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. After the last camp song had finished, Chiron stood up to make his traditional End of Summer speech. Adrian was only half-listening. His mind was on the journey ahead. Finally, the clay beads were passed around. He strung the new one onto his necklace with the others. Marie nudged him, then pointed in the direction of the Big House. He could make out a large huddle of people, and he knew his parents were among them. They waited until Chiron had dismissed the crowd to run over. It was great to see so many family friends; for a short while he managed to forget his nervousness.

"How are you doing, Adrian?" asked the huge man who had immediately swept Marie into his arms. "Excited to become a wizard?"

"Sure thing, Uncle Frank." He said, a smile spreading across his face. He grabbed his duffel bag, and watched as the other's grabbed their things, which they'd all dropped off at the Big House earlier. He glanced around and saw Uncle Leo listening to tales of the all the trouble Sammy and T.J. had gotten into. To his left was Aunt Rachel, who was embracing Sammy's sister, Crystal. Aunt Piper was chatting with Pearl and Cassandra. Uncle Percy was talking to Hylla and her brother, Matias. Uncle Jason was laughing at something Robbie had said. That was everyone… for a brief moment, panic seized him. Where was Bianca? They were going to be leaving any second and she-"

"BOO!" Adrian jumped about a foot into the air. He whirled around, and barley caught a glimpse of his sister's giggling face before he wrapped in a tight hug. After a moment, he was released, and was left staring into a pair of bright blue eyes. His eyes were one of the only features he had in common with Will. Right now they held a serious, caring expression that for some reason reminded Adrian of how he'd looked the day Bianca had been born.

Will had explained to him that he and Nico had appealed to the gods when they wanted to start a family. It was Artemis who'd convinced the rest of the gods to help them. Nico maintained that she'd only done because she felt guilty for the death of Nico's sister, but was grateful nonetheless. Will thought she'd helped because her twin brother, Apollo, had asked her to. In any case, she was the goddess of fertility and childbirth, and was able to pull a few strings. They were never told exactly what had happened, but about a year later, Adrian had arrived in a basket on their doorstep, similar to the birth of a child of Athena. A few years later, Bianca had arrived in a similar fashion.

Adrian snapped out of the memory and back into the present. Nico had approached him and was patting him on the back somewhat awkwardly. They stood at the very edge of the crowd.

"Are you excited?" Nico asked. Adrian thought for a few moments before replying.

"Yes. I mean, I want to go… I'm just scared."

"Don't be." Will said. "You'll be fine. Now where has your sister wandered off to?" Adrian was about to reply when he was cut off by the stamping of a hoof on the stone walkway.

"May I please have your attention" Chiron called, his strong voice reaching across the small crowd. I would like to introduce you to Mr. Reubeus Hagrid." At these words, an enormous man in a brown coat stepped forward. Most of his face was hidden by an enormous grey beard. Adrian stared at the man in awe. He looked a bit like an older version of Adrian's uncle Tyson. A closer inspection revealed that the man did in fact have two eyes; still, Adrian got the sense that he wasn't entirely human.

"Well hello, young'uns!" The man exclaimed, his face crinkling into a huge grin. "And greetin's to yer parents as well! Are you ready to start your journey as witches an' wizards?" The young demigods just continued to stare at him in stunned silence, and a few of their parents put their hands on their weapons. His smile slipped a bit, and he whispered loudly to Chiron. "Not a very chatty bunch, are they? I hope I'm not scarin' 'em. Maybe you'd best take over." Chiron cleared his throat.

"Hagrid will act as your guide once you reach England. He will help you with everything that needs to be done before the term starts. I believe he has also provided your means of travel."

"That's righ'!" Hagrid said, once again looking cheerful. He waved what looked to be an old surfboard in the air. "How many of you have ever traveled by portkey?" Once again, no spoke. "Well, there's a firs' time fer everything! " He brandished the ancient surfboard, which was dusty and had paint peeling off. "Now, usin' a portkey is real simple; all you have ter do is touch it when I tell you to. An' whatever you do: don't let go. Now, everybody gather round… good, now grab hold!" There were a few moments of tense silence while everyone waited for something to happen.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Sammy asked. Just then, Adrian felt a tugging sensation in his gut, and his world turned upside down.

 **Once again, your feedback means a lot to me! Chapter four will be up sometime in the near future.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Stickysillyputty here, with a million apologies for my lovely readers. I meant to update much sooner, but I was busy with other projects. I promise to warn you in advance if I ever have to postpone an update again. And if there ever comes a time when I'm unable to continue this story, I'll be sure to let you know. There's nothing worse than constantly checking a fanfic in hope of an update, only to realize that it's stopped without explanation. I'd also like to thank everyone who's reviewed, favourited, or followed this story. Here's the (very late) chapter!**

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Cassie sat up in bed, wincing at the pain in her back. It was bad enough that the crazy surfboard-portal thing had dropped her hard on her tailbone when they'd reached their destination, but the lumpy hotel mattress hadn't helped. She got out of bed and stretched, then walked over to the small window and looked out. She gazed upon a spectacular view of… rooftops and chimneys. She frowned and flopped back down onto the bed. England was supposed to be cool and exciting- this grimy hotel room didn't exactly fit that description.

She glanced hopefully around the room; hoping one of the other girls would be awake so she could talk to them. Unfortunately, both Hylla and Pearl were still sound asleep. Marie was absent since she was rooming with Crystal and Bianca- wait, that was it! She looked around for a clock, and finally spotted a small one on the opposite wall. After seeing the time, she smiled to herself. It was just after six, meaning Bianca would certainly be up. After bunking together in the Apollo cabin all summer, the girls had gotten to know each other's schedules by heart.

She bounced off the edge of the bed and over to her suitcase. She rummaged through the hastily packed clothes a grabbed a pair of well-worn jeans. Then she spotted the edge of her favourite blue tee shirt and tugged. She managed to get it out, but in the process sent something else flying. She frowned and reached to grab it. As she did, she felt her heart lurch slightly. There was her camp shirt, a slight whiff of last night's campfire still clinging to the material. She clutched it to her chest for a moment, then shoved back into her suitcase.

Coming to Europe was supposed to be about a fresh start. A life where she didn't have to deal with scolding teachers, snickering classmates, and most of all; the vicious monsters that plagued her family. A life where she could be regarded as somewhat ordinary. Even at camp, she was Cassandra, the fortune teller! Cassandra, the Oracle of Delphi! Cassandra, the girl named for another who could see events that had not yet passed. Didn't anyone understand what it was like? When would they stop looking at her like a bomb that could go off at any second? She was looking forward to a break from that life. In fact… She reached up to grasp the cord of her camp necklace, but paused before she could remove it. She bit her lip, trying to decide, but eventually she just tucked it beneath the collar of her shirt.

After quickly running a comb through her wavy hair, she raced down the several flights of stairs. She slid across the slippery floor in her socks, coming to a stop right in front of Bianca, who was eating a bowl of cereal. The younger girl stared at her, totally poker-faced, before saying

"You're late." Cassie studied Bianca, who who's eyes glittered with supressed laughter. She looked around the dining hall, which was as dingy and small as the rest of the hotel. A few people sat at the tables that were scattered around the room, nibbling on food from the breakfast bar. Strangely, she didn't see anyone else from their own party. "What time is it?" Bianca questioned challengingly, a giggle escaping her tightly clamped lips. Cassie's confusion only grew.

"It was around six when I woke up-" Suddenly she understood. "The time difference!" Bianca then burst into laughter, and Cassie couldn't help but join in.

"It's an Apollo thing." Came a voice from behind her. She turned and grinned.

"Uncle Will!" Will smiled at the laughing girls.

"You see, descendants of Apollo are compelled to rise with the sun. So even though it's only one thirty in New York, we still feel wide awake. In fact Cassie, your dad will probably be down in a moment."

"Do we have to wait in the lobby for everyone else to get up? Can't we go out and explore?" she asked eagerly. Will seemed hesitant.

"Well, I would take you, but I don't really know how to get around and-"

"Did someone mention explorin'? Said a jolly voice from the stairs. It was that huge man, Hagrid. He grinned at Will. "If they wan' ter go out an' take a look aroun', I'd be more un happy to take 'em." Will raised an eyebrow at the girls. Bianca was already bouncing on the balls of her feet. Cassie froze for a split-second, than nodded.

"Sure- just let me grab my shoes first!" She bolted up the stairs, and halfway up she collided with her dad. "Please, please, please, can Bianca and I go do stuff with Hagrid?" She asked breathlessly. Adam looked confused, but he consented.

"If Chiron trusts him, than so do I. Just promise not to wander off and get lost." Cassie gave him a quick hug before rushing up to her room. She threw open the door rather loudly, causing Pearl to groan sleepily and chuck a pillow in her general direction.

"Sorry!" Cassie yelped, before grabbing her sneakers and shutting the door as quietly as she could. After exiting the room, she took a deep breath. "Britain, here I come!"

A few hours later, Cassie and Bianca were sitting at a table near the entrance of a small café, waiting for Hagrid to return. They had seen and done quite a few things since leaving the hotel. First Hagrid had had taken them to a "muggle" bank where they could exchange their pocket money for British currency accepted in the "muggle" stores. Hagrid's phrasing had confused them, but they'd had a grand time looking through tourists shops and charming boutiques. Afterwards he'd led them through a crowded pub, and used his pink umbrella to reveal a bustling street teeming with shops. The girls had been enthralled by the magical stores, but Hagrid had rushed quickly past them. They'd followed him into a huge bank. When he entered, he produced the large bag of drachmas Chiron had provided. After a long and intense discussion with the goblins who worked there, he managed to convince them to take the bag. A short time later, a grumpy looking goblin had returned with a bag full of different coins. They looked nearly the same as drachmas to Cassie, who didn't understand what all the fuss was about. Hagrid had escorted them out of the marketplace without giving them much chance to take it all in. He'd sat them down at the café table with the firm orders to _stay put._

"It's so unfair!" Bianca exclaimed with a sigh. "You and Adrian and the others get to live here all year, while I have to go home where it's boring and-"

"Yes, Bia, we're aware that your life is unfair, but please stop guilt-tripping us." Someone grumbled. Adrian slumped into the chair beside his sister, who stuck out her tongue at him. Cassie turned and saw all her friends and their parents walking sleepily towards the cafe, led by Hagrid.

"Sorry for leavin' yeh here." Hagrid said sheepishly. "I had ter fetch the others, an' I wanted ter save you two a trip." He turned to address the adults. "Now, we're all gonna trot on over ter Diagon Alley. That's where yeh're gonna buy the young un's their books an' things. These two girls 'ave already had a peak, when the helped me pick up some Wizardin' money. "Have yeh got yeh're school lists?" A few people nodded, and Hagrid led them back to the pub.

"What's it like?" Pearl asked Cassie, her eyes wide with interest behind her glasses. "Were there witches and wizards there? What did they look like?" Cassie opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by Hagrid's loud cry of

"'Here we are!" The demigods let out a gasp. Cassie got to properly observe the scene for the first time. Witches and wizards wearing long robes strolled amidst the shops, carrying magic wands. She spotted many children about the age of those who attended Camp half-blood. There was a sense of purpose in the air; everyone seemed to be very busy.

"Let's go to _that_ store!" Sammy exclaimed, pointing to a shop that had fireworks going off near its entrance. Hagrid chuckled at Sammy's glazed expression.

"Maybe later. Firs' we gotta make sure yeh're all ready for school. Now, could I borrow a supply list? Annabeth pulled the piece of parchment from her bag and handed it to Hagrid. "Right-o! Firs' stop's Madam Malkin's, for yehr robes!"

The shopping trip passed by in a blur. Cassie and her and her friends were shepherded from one shop to the next. They were awestruck by the magical items that were up for sale. Sure, as demigods, they had seen some pretty cool things, but nothing like this. Calypso had to keep firm hold of Sammy when they passed the building he'd seen earlier, which turned out to be a joke shop. Leo cast a few longing glances towards it as well. Both Pearl and Annabeth were enthralled by the bookstore, and reluctant to leave once all the necessary schoolbooks had been purchased. Finally, Hagrid paused in his frantic rush to obtain seven of every item on the list.

"I assume yeh'll all be wantin' to bring a pet with yeh?" Hagrid asked, though he looked as if he already knew the answer.

"Yes!" Cassie cried, echoed by the other demigods. The only pet she'd ever owned had been a goldfish, which sadly hadn't lived very long. Hagrid smiled.

"Alrigh' than! We're off to the Magical Menagerie!"

A huge grin crept across Cassie's face when she entered the pet shop. It was unlike any pet store she'd ever seen. There were rows of tanks and cages, plus several animals that roamed about the store. Pearl immediately rushed to the back of the store, where cages with sleeping owls were being kept. Bianca squealed with delight when she caught sight of several fluffy cats, dragging Sammy's sister Crystal along to look at them. Hagrid patted her shoulder, nearly knocking her off balance.

"Difficul' choice, innit?" he said, surveying the now chaotic pet shop. "I've always taken a fancy ter more exotic pets myself."

"We know all about exotic pets!" Robbie chirped.

"Do yeh, now?" Hagrid asked, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Uh-huh! My dad has a pet hellhound!" Hagrid's eyes widened. Crystal looked up from the cats to chime in.

"Well, _my_ dad has a pet dragon!" At this Hagrid's mouth fell open. He immediately started bombarding Leo with questions, while Leo struggled to explain that Festus wasn't a _real_ dragon.

The woman who was cleaning the owl cages looked displeased by the size of the crowd that had just entered her shop. They hardly fit in the small store. Noticing this, Hagrid gave the parents directions to a nearby coffee shop where they could wait until the children had purchased their pets.

"Hey Marie, look at this! Sammy called. Marie walked over to him, her expression apprehensive. "See, it's got your eyes! You should take it!" Sammy held up small grey cat, which squirmed in his grip. Cassie glanced at the cat, whose slanted gold eyes did in fact resemble Marie's.

"Yeah?" Marie challenged. "Well, then you should take this!" She thrust a glossy black rat at Sammy. "It's scrawny and sneaky-looking, just like you!"

"Maybe I will!" he retorted.

Cassie wandered over to where most of the others were. She saw Adrian staring fixedly at a small brownish-grey owl. It seemed pretty ordinary to her, but he seemed fascinated by it. The tag on its cage read " _Megascops albogularis"._

Hylla and TJ were also studying the selection of owls. Cassie observed the feathery creatures. They were cute, but not really what she was looking for. She wanted something that would be as energetic as she was; a nocturnal bird would get boring eventually. She wandered over to the large tank where Robbie was standing, along with Hylla's brother Matias. The boys were tapping on the glass, trying to elicit movement from the creatures inside.

"What's in there?" Her question had been addressed to the boys, but it was the woman feeding the owls who answered.

"They're aquatic toads, dearie. They make good pets, even though they rarely leave the water." Matias laughed.

"Sounds like you, Robbie!" he said. "We hardly ever see you on dry land!" Pearl, who had been fretting over which owl to buy, came over to look.

"They _do_ share a certain resemble with you." She joked, resting her chin on top of her brother's head. "In fact, I'll name mine after you." Robbie looked surprised.

"But owls are the symbol of Athena! They're you favourite-"

"Well, I'll need something to remind me of you, won't I? Like, what if I forget how annoying you are, and I actually start to _miss_ you!" She exclaimed, feigning disgust. Robbie's expression wavered, and he turned to give his sister a short, fierce hug.

"Name it Bob." He requested, his voice sounding rather wobbly. "After the Titan, you know, my namesake? And don't worry; I won't forget how annoying you are, either." Cassie smiled at the scene, but one glance at the tank confirmed that toads were definitely _not_ what she was looking for. She was about to return to examining the owls when she was ambushed by two shrieking nine-year-olds.

"Cassie, Cassie, you have to buy him!" Bianca squealed. "I tried to get Adrian to take him, but he's already decided on that screech owl! Looking around the shop, she saw that Adrian had indeed purchased the owl. Hylla and TJ were also carrying birdcages. It seemed she was the only who had not yet picked an animal.

"Isn't he just the cutest thing?" Crystal cooed, thrusting a mewling kitten forward for her to look at. Cassie examined the ball of fluff. It was a tabby, no more than a few weeks old. Truth be told, there was nothing special about it. In the store full of weird and wonderful creatures, most people wouldn't have given it a second glance. But its ordinariness appealed to Cassie. She wasn't looking to stand out, and this cat wouldn't either. Besides, the others were no doubt starting to lose their patience, so she had to make her choice soon.

"Okay, okay, I'll take him." She said. Bianca ad Crystal shrieked and hugged her, nearly crushing the kitten between them.

"Alrigh' then!" Hagrid boomed, looking rather relieved. The store was thrown once more into a frenzy as the woman behind the desk struggled to ring in all he pets.

Finally, Hagrid ushered them out of the shop, and led them to the coffee shop where their parents were waiting.

"That was the last item, right? TJ inquired as his mother stroked his new owl. Hagrid's eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Still one more ter go!" he chuckled. An' this one's the most impotan' of the lot! The best place fer wands is still Ollivander's, so that's where we'll be headin'."

Cassie was excited, but rather nervous as well. Earler Hagrid mentioned something about wands choosing their wizards. What if no wands chose her? What if they sensed that she and her friends weren't wizards at all, and refused to work for them? Could wands even do that?

Soon they came to a stop in front of a dusty store that looked as though it had been abandoned long ago. Hagrid burst through the doors of the shop and greeted the man who was organizing a cluttered shelf.

"Geronimo, my good man! How are you doing in the new job?" The man shrugged, his expression baleful.

"I'm afraid I'll never measure up to my father, but I manage. What can I do for you today?"

"I've brough' yeh a challenge: seven muggle-borns, all in need of wands fer their first year. Are yeh up fer the task? The man gave a half smile and scooped an armful of boxes off the shelf.

"I'll see what I can do. Which of you wants to be the first to get acquainted with your wand?" There was a pause in which nobody spoke. Cassie fidgeted. She wanted to know, for better or worse, if the wands would accept demigods as their masters. She stepped forward.

"Ah!" The wandmaker exclaimed "You seem like a risk-taker! Phoenix feather would suit you well." He rummaged through the boxes on the counter for a few moments, then set several aside. He unwrapped one and held it out to her. "Poplar, ten inches, whippy. Give it a shot. Cassie took the wand. She held it gingerly, as though it would explode in her grasp. "Go on then, wave it." The shop owner encouraged. She waved the wand in circle, holding her breath. Nothing happened. "That's alright, don't fret. It's rare for a wizard to find the right wand on their first try. Here, try this one. It's sumac, thirteen inches, quite pliant. Again, Cassie took the wand and waved it. Again, she got no result. She looked nervously up at the wandmaker, who was running a hand through his beard.

He studied her closer. "Tell me, do you have an interest in healing?" he asked. She nodded, surprised. As a descendent of Apollo, healing was in her blood. But how could he know that? He returned to the he many shelves, searching through stacks of long, thin boxes. At last, he found the one he was looking for and held it out to her. "Birch wands will usually take to a healer. This one's twelve and a half inches, rather bendy." She made a silent prayer to Hecate, the goddess of magic, and waved the wand. Purple and gold sparks shot out the tip. Everyone in the store let out a collective sigh of relief. Then, to Cassie's embarrassment, her parents started cheering, and everyone else joined in. Blushing, she slunk to the back of the group and shoved a whooping Sammy forward.

The wandmaker looked amused, his silver eyes dancing. "For muggles, you're taking this surprisingly well. In a group this size, there's usually at least a few who are terrified by the idea of magic. By the way, you can call me Mr. Ollivander." He turned to Sammy. "Hmm.. A hickory wand may work well with a fiery- tempered soul such as yourself. Snatching a wand from the counter, he thrust it at Sammy. "Eleven inches, with a core of dragon heartstring. You'll find it's rather springy." Sammy managed to produce red and orange sparks with the wand, and barely had time to thank the wandmaker before he moved on to Pearl where Pearl, Hylla, and Marie were standing.

"Hmmm… How do you feel about horses? The girls chattered enthusiasticly. After all, Cassie thought, Pearl could communicate with horses, and Hylla and Marie were both learning to ride; on Guido and Arion, respectively. "Well," continued, "how do you feel about unicorns?" The girls tried their best to look awestruck, which was difficult considering they saw unicorns at Cap Jupiter quite frequently.

"Do you have any wands from olive trees?" Pearl cut in curiously, glancing at her mother.

"Yes, would you like to try some?" led her to a shelf of olive wands. While she tried them out, he found wands for Hylla and Marie. Hylla received an inflexible mahogany wand that measured nine and three quarter inches. Marie's was an inch shorter, pliable and made of yew wood. Finally he returned to Pearl, who had failed to produce sparks with any of the olive wands.

"Have you considered an Ash wand?" he asked gently, noticing her frustrated expression. Pearl looked uncertain. "Ash trees grow remarkably well in water; does that interest you?" he added. Pearls eyes bugged at the comment, but he didn't notice. He took a wand from a nearby shell and presented it to Pearl with a flourish. "Ash and unicorn tail hair, ten and a half inches, supple." As soon as pearl touched it, blue and green sparks erupted from it. chuckled at her surprised expression. "Sometimes what we think will work best doesn't always suit us. Choose with your heart, not your mind."

He moved on to TJ, who received a limber sycamore wand. It was fourteen inches, with a Phoenix feather core. He was about to address Adrian when the door of the shop was flung open. "I'll be with you in a moment!" He called.

"If you don't mind" drawled a haughty voice "we're in a hurry. If you can't find time to serve us, we'd be more than happy to find another wandmaker" Rose looked to the front of the store. There stood a man with pale hair, his hand on the shoulder of a boy who looked just like him. sighed.

"Please excuse me." He said before approaching the man and the boy, who was clearly his son. The man swaggered into the store, but stopped short when he caught sight of Percy.

"Pott-!" he started to exclaim, becoming stopping abruptly. Percy raised an eyebrow. "My apologies." He said curtly, not sounding particularly sorry. "I mistook you for someone else." Hagrid laughed heartily.

"Don't worry, Draco. While they do bear quite the resemblance, I assure you this man isn't your old rival. Though you may see the real Harry at the station; his two eldest boys are goin' ter Hogwarts now.

"How lovely." The man sneered. "And of course it's always a pleasure to see you, Hagrid." Once again, the man's tone conveyed the opposite message as his words. "Now, if you don't mind, my son is in need of a wand."

"Yes, yes, of course." agreed. He seemed rather flustered. "Now there young man, what house do you think you'll be in?"

"Slytherin. I'm going to be in Slytherin." The boy said, staring forcefully at the other children, as if daring them to judge him.

"I see. Well, as this young lady recently learned, magic can be unpredictable." Mr. Ollivander said, gesturing to Pearl. "Now, why don't you come with me, and I'll see what I can do for you. He guided the boy to the back of the store, while his father tapped his foot impatiently. After nearly ten minutes, Cassie saw silver sparks appear over the top of the many shelves. The boy reemerged with Mr. Ollivander, who was holding a thin box. "Mulberry and dragon heartstring, thirteen and a half inches, quite rigid." He said, still slightly nervous. "That'll be seven galleons and four sickles." The boy's father tossed the money onto the counter, took the box, and left without another word.

swept the coins into a box and turned back to Adrian. "where were we? Perhaps you'd do well with a wand of pomegranate wood…" Adrian stifled a laugh as Nico stared at the wandmaker in disbelief. "Yes, pomegranate wood will do nicely." He continued. "Here's one with a dragon heartstring core. Twelve and a half inches, unyielding. Adrian took the wand and waved it. Midnight blue sparks danced from the tip of the wand.

"Excellent." Mr. Ollivander said, smiling tiredly. "Did I miss anyone?"

"Nope, tha' was the last one." Hagrid laughed, patting the man on the back. "Yer father would be proud of yeh, Geronimo."

"Thank you. Now let's see, how many Galleons will that be?" Mr. Olivander puzzled.

While he and Hagrid tried to figure out the price of the wands, Cassie examined hers. It looked like an ordinary stick, but she could feel its power. It held magic unlike any she'd ever felt before. As she looked at it she saw her watch. It was quite late, and the fatigue she hadn't felt earlier came crashing down on her. She barely remembered trudging back to the hotel, declining dinner, and collapsing onto her bed. Just before she drifted off, she felt a light pressure on the mattress. A small shape approached her and began to purr. She groaned, realizing she hadn't yet given the kitten a name. It's yellow and orange stripes reminded her of rays of sunlight. She laughed dryly. It seemed only fitting that the cat be named after her namesake's undoing; the same person responsible for her "gift".

 _"You know"_ , she thought as her eyes started to close _"I've always liked Grandfather's Roman_ _aspect better."_

From that day forth, the cat was called Phoebus. (Much to the disappointment of Crystal and Bianca, who had wanted to name him "Mr. Fuzzyface.")

* * *

 **Well? How was it? What did you think of Garrick Ollivander's son? I felt that he should have a "Ger-" name: like his grandfather Gervaise, great-grandfather Gerbold, and ancestor Geraint. Also, from now on, I'm going to give you three fun facts about a character at the end of each chapter. Today's character… Cassandra May Turner! (Yes, it corresponds with the POV.)**

 **1\. When six months pregnant, Rachel dreamed that the spirit of the Oracle of Delphi would leave her. Frantic, she contacted Apollo. He revealed that the spirit had passed on to Rachel's unborn daughter. Cassie delivered her first prophecy at the age of five; a few vague sentences concerning a trio of heroes.**

 **2\. Her favourite place in the world is her parent's art studio. She spends much of her free time painting or sculpting, and had recently started to assist her mother in teaching children's art lessons.**

 **3\. The purple streaks in her hair were actually unintentional. She and her friend Silena Rodriguez attempted to pull a prank on the Aphrodite cabin earlier in the summer. The Aphrodite campers retaliated by turning large portions of the girls' hair bright colours. Rachel and Adam were amused to find much of Cassie's hair brilliant purple. Clarisse was less thrilled to find that the majority of her daughter's hair was electric pink.**

 **P.S. Since I didn't give facts for the other POV characters, I'm going to state here that their names are Pearl Thalia Jackson and Adrian Lee Di Angelo-Solace. Their siblings' names are Robert Damasen Jackson and Bianca Lucinda Di Angelo-Solace. If you guys enjoy the fact thingies, I'd be happy to go back and add them to the previous two chapters.**

 **P.P.S. Fifteen points to the house of whoever can figure out why Adrian was so interested in that owl! Actually, points to the house of anyone who picks up on any of the little tidbits hidden in this chapter. (Hint: there's more to those some of those wands than meets the eye!)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again, everyone! I know that my prolonged absence was absolutely despicable, so now I beg your forgiveness. As I stated in the previous chapter, I firmly believe in warning your readers before you go on hiatus. Unfortunately, this wasn't possible for me, as my lack of updates was caused by issues with my computer. I was unable to access any of my documents- including this one, which was nearly finished at the time- for months. So once again, I apologize, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, despite its extreme tardiness. Oh, and thanks again to all those who reviewed, favourited, followed, or messaged me.**

* * *

Rose Weasly squirmed in her seat, nearly bouncing with excitement. She'd been on the train for less than ten minutes, and already she couldn't wait for the journey to be over. For years she'd been dreaming of attending Hogwarts, and now she was finally old enough. She glanced at Albus and James, who were playing some kind of game to pass the time.

" _Hagrid didn't tell us what to do once we were on the train!"_ A voice hissed from outside the compartment door. Rose cocked her head and listened closer.

" _Maybe we should find and adult"_ … another voice volunteered timidly." Rose was sure now that the speakers were Americans; she could tell by their accents.

" _That'll make us look like we don't know what we're doing!"_ A third voice whined, louder than the others. This time her cousins looked up as well.

" _But Sammy, we don't know what we're doing."_ The second voice moaned, sounding slightly panicked. _"Why did we even come here?"_ James met Albus' eye, and they nodded in silent agreement. The brothers crept over to the entrance of the compartment and flung open the door. Several wide-eyed students were standing behind it.

Rose studied them. She'd heard that all American children were strange, but these ones looked quite normal. James grinned at the newcomers.

"First years. You'll fit in right in with these two." He said, jerking a thumb in the direction of his brother and cousin. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go find my friends." With that, he strolled out of the compartment, closing the door behind him. The children stared awkwardly at each other for a few moments before Rose broke the silence.

"Hi! I'm Rose Weasly, and this is my cousin, Albus Potter." She paused out of habit, waiting for someone to gasp at the name "Potter". When no one did, she continued. "If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you attending a school of magic in America?"

A boy with spiky dirty-blond hair started to answer. "We're… we're here because… um…"

"Exchange program." A girl with grey eyes and glasses cut in. "We're taking part in the exchange program your Principal set up."

Rose's brow furrowed in confusion." Principal? Oh, you mean the Headmistress. How are you enjoying Britain so far?"

"It's amazing!" crowed a boy with light brown almond-shaped eyes. "All the wizards and the shops and everyone's doing magic and…"

"Wait, are you guys muggle-borns?" Albus asked.

"Umm… yes. I think so." Said the grey-eyed girl. "Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all!" Albus rushed to assure her. "Rose's mom is a muggle-born, and my dad was raised by muggles."

"Yeah, muggle-borns often turn out to be some of the most successful wizards!" Rose chirped. "You know, I don't think I caught any of your names."

The kids introduced themselves, so quickly she barely had time to register the information. They all seemed so full of energy, so exuberant. Were all American children like this?

"Hey, who was that guy that walked out?" The girl with purple-streaked hair, whose name Rose thought started with a C, asked curiously.

Albus rolled his eyes. "That was my brother, James. He's only a second-year, but he acts like he knows everything there is to know about Hogwarts. He's in Gryffindor, like the rest of our family." He said, his voice gloomy.

"That's not true, Al!" Rose chided. "Dominique and Lucy are in Ravenclaw. And Roxanne's a Hufflepuff… not to mention Teddy, but he graduated last year. We have a _lot_ of cousins _."_ She added, for the sake of their confused-looking traveling companions.

"There are seven currently at Hogwarts… and James, so that'll be eight… Rose and I will make ten." Albus noted.

"Cool! But what was that about Ravenclaws and Pufflehuffs?" The girl asked. Rose, who had been mentally tallying her cousins to confirm Albus's statement, took a moment to notice she had spoken. Come to think of it, this girl looked sort of like Dominique; she had similar red-blond hair, bluish eyes, and freckles.

"It's Hufflepuff." Albus corrected gently. "I suppose you haven't heard about the Houses, being muggle-borns. There are four of them. People who are courageous and impulsive are usually Sorted into Gryffindor."

"Ravenclaws are clever and creative. They're good problem solvers. Hufflepuffs are loyal." Rose hastened to add.

"So… you get put in one of these Houses when you start going to Hogwarts?" The boy named TJ-or was it RJ? – asked. Rose nodded, and he laughed. "The camp we go to works sort of the same way. What's the last House?"

Albus swallowed nervously before answering. "The fourth house is Slytherin. It used to be made up of mostly pure-bloods, but ever since the war the Sorting Hat's been choosing Half-bloods and Muggle-borns as well. Slytherin are known for being ambitious… and cunning."

"So _that's_ what the boy was talking about. I wonder why he was so keen on being in Slytherin" Pearl mused.

The eager first years bombarded Rose and Albus with questions about the school, which they tried their best to answer. They told stories of things their parents, uncles, and older cousins had done in school. They discussed the living arrangements, food, and different classes.

"My Godfather's the Herbology Professor." Albus said. "He's pretty cool… but don't tell anyone I said that!" It was then that James, trailed by Louis, Fred, and some of his Gryffindor friends, stepped into the compartment.

"Al, follow Rosie's example and get your robes on. And make sure your new friends do the same."

"James!" Rose snapped. "I've told you a million times; don't call me Rosie!"

"Aww, what's the matter, Ro? Don't want your cousin embarrassing you in front of the American boys?" Fred snickered. Rose's face flushed as red as the flower that bore her name.

"Lay off her." Albus grumbled, shooing James and his posse out the door. He went to get his robes from his trunk, and as he did, Rose spotted a tall cage next to it.

"Is that…" she asked disbelievingly. Albus smiled and popped the latch on the cage. A furry rodent with a long tail hopped out and shimmied up his arm.

"I didn't want an owl; I can use James' to send letters. So Uncle George let me bring Bouncer." The rodent slung himself around the boy's neck, whiskers twitching. Rose laughed and shook her head.

"I sincerely hope you get very forgiving roommates. I had to clean out his cage once when I was helping Dad out at the store; I'll never forget the stench. "

"Your dad has a store?" The brown-eyed boy, whose name she was almost certain was Sammy, asked. "I always have to help out at my parent's garage, so I know what that's like."

"He helps my uncle run his store in Diagon Alley. It's called Weasly's Wizard Wheezes-"

"Wait, I saw that! It was the joke shop my mom said we didn't have time for!" Rose giggled. Sammy wasn't the first person to have this reaction; especially since Uncle George had purchased Zonko's and now had a branch in Hogsmede.

"So, that explains why he was so willing to give me the store's mascot. And why Fred or Roxy didn't want it." Albus muttered, tugging his robes over his t-shirt and jeans. The other kids followed suit, chattering nervously amongst themselves. Rose herself was beginning to feel anxious. What if she made a fool of herself in front of everyone? She realized she was chewing on the end of her braid, and stopped immediately. She was trying to quit herself or the habit, but it resurfaced every time she was nervous.

"By the way Rose, what did you bring?" Albus asked, as he twirled his hat on his finger. Rose realized he was referring to her animal, and retrieved a cage containing a glossy black bird.

"This is Alacer." She announced.

"Keen, lively." Marie translated almost instantly. "Not a bad name for a raven." Rose's eyes widened.

"You speak Latin?" The girl nodded hesitantly, but the way she pressed her lips tightly together told Rose that she didn't want to elaborate. Perhaps she was shy.

She felt the train slowing, and rushed to the window. She gasped in wonder. The school looked just like the pictures she'd seen in books. Everyone scrambled to grab their pets and trunks. Prefects started circulating the train, making sure all the first years knew what they were doing. A fifth year girl poked her head into their compartment, and Rose squealed when she spotted the shiny badge pinned to her robes.

"Molly! You didn't tell me you got chosen as prefect!" Molly smiled and ruffled her hair.

"I wanted to surprise you. My dad was so proud when I told him. Now come on, the boats will be leaving any moment!"

Rose joined the crowd of other first years as they were ushered to the edge of a lake. There she heard a familiar voice calling:

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here with me!" Her face split into a wide grin, and was surprised to see her newfound friends smiling with relief as well. Wait, hadn't they mentioned Hagrid earlier? Soon she found herself stepping into a boat, and gliding across the lake. Her mind was a whirl of nervous thoughts, and she was barely paying attention to what was happening.

Before she knew it, she was standing before the enormous doors that marked the entrance to the dining hall. The excited chatter amongst the other first years faded into hushed murmuring, then silence. Hagrid surveyed the crowd, checked his watch, and threw open the doors.

Rose took a deep breath as she felt hundreds of eyes fixed on her and her future peers. They shuffled into a loose clump and awaited instructions. A professor approached the stool at the end of the hall, but instead of speaking, laid a pointy wizard's hat upon it. A few first years gasped and shrieked when the hat burst into song, but Rose was too busy looking around the hall.

It was just as she'd pictured it. Long tables full of children stood underneath colourful banners, and ghosts drifted here and there, chatting with staff and students. She spotted few shocks of bright red hair that meant her cousins were present.

There was cheering when the hat finished its song. A minute later, the professor returned with a long parchment scroll.

"Ackerman, Caroline!" he called out. A timid looking girl stepped forward and perched on the stool, glancing around uncertainly. The professor placed the hat on her head, and after a moment it bellowed

"Hufflepuff!" Caroline scurried to the table of smiling students under a black and yellow banner.

More names were called, and Rose let her mind wander, until "Di Angelo-Solace, Adrian!" was announced. Adrian stepped forwards, his hands trembling slightly. The hat shifted on his head for a moment, before yelling

"Slytherin!" He walked over to the Slytherin table, glancing apprehensively at the students.

A few minutes later, "Grace, Tom" was called forth. Rose was confused for a moment to see TJ step forward. The crimson blush staining his cheeks made her realize that he probably refrained from using his first name. The Sorting Hat took only a few seconds of sitting atop his spiky hair to label him a Gryffindor.

Next was Pearl who chewed her lip nervously as the hat sat on her head. Several tense moments later, the hat declared her a Ravenclaw. She smiled hesitantly and bounded over to where the Ravenclaws were sitting.

The sorting continued, and Rose found herself getting bored. Several minutes passed and no one she knew was called. She looked around at the other first years, and caught sight of a boy with startlingly blond hair. Could it be…

Her question was answered a moment later when "Malfoy, Scorpius" was summoned to the front. So it _was_ the boy her father had pointed out. The boy swaggered up to the front, everything about him oozing confidence. He walked with his shoulders thrown back, chest puffed out, and chin held ridiculously high. When he sat down on the stool, however, Rose saw that his eyes were wide and vulnerable.

The sorting at was placed on his head, and didn't move for quite some time. The boy's expression became extremely confused, and a moment later, the sorting hat declared him a Gryffindor. The boy's mouth opened in shock, and he looked like he wanted to protest, but before he could the hat was removed from his head and he was shooed over to the Gryffindor table. Rose couldn't help feeling sorry for him, especially when she saw James staring at him with open dislike.

"Martinez, Hylla" was the next to be called up, and was almost instantly sorted into Slytherin. She sat next to Adrian, glancing suspiciously at the other Slytherins.

She looked over at Albus, who had turned so pale that his freckles stood out sharply. She patted his arm comfortingly, and he turned to her, his eyes full of fear. "Rose, if I-" he didn't have time to finish before his name was announced. A ripple of muttering ran through the hall, along with hollering from James and some of their cousins. With one last terrified glance at her over his shoulder, he proceeded to the wooden stool.

He was visibly trembling by the time the hat was set on his head. He turned his head one way, then the other, his brow creasing. This continued for a while, until people started whispering. Suddenly, an expression of resignation dawned on his face, and he inclined his head slightly forwards. The tear that made the hats mouth widened into a smile. "Slytherin!" It shouted, louder than it had for any other student. Albus staggered over to the Slytherin table and sat down, his head in his hands. He refused to meet anyone's eyes. Rose's gaze returned to James, who looked stricken.

So Al was a Slytherin. She wasn't sure why he was so upset; there was nothing wrong with being in the house of the serpent. Surely he didn't think anyone in his family would judge him for it? She mulled over this thought while Cassandra was sorted into Gryffindor and Sammy became a Hufflepuff. Soon afterwards, "Weasly, Rose" was called. She stepped forward, forgetting Al's situation for a minute to worry about her own. She had been dreaming of going to Hogwarts for years, but she had never really thought about which house she wanted to be in. She tried to keep her knees from knocking together as she lowered herself onto the stool. The sorting hat was placed on her Titian hair, and after a moment, she heard it.

" _You take after your mother, don't you? I had a difficult time sorting her. You're creative, and what's this? Do I sense a bit of a rebellious streak ? Hmm... feels like a…_

Ravenclaw!" The hat yelled. She slid from the stool, dizzy with feeling. She located the Ravenclaw table and sat next to Pearl, who seemed grateful to see a familiar face. The last student to be sorted was Marie, who was sent to Hufflepuff and took her seat beside Sammy.

Once she had done this, a middle-aged woman stood up at the end of the hall to address the assembled crowd. She wore plum robes and her chestnut hair was well on its way to turning grey.

"Students," she began. Her voice was strong and resonant. "I am Headmistress Fiddleworth. I am sure you're all anxious for dinner, but first I'd like to go over a few things. Firstly, we have the woods are strictly off limits. You are to at all times…" she launched into a description of the rules, policies and regulations. Rose was only half listening as she tried to catch Al's eye. He looked melancholy but not as panicked as he'd been before the sorting. What _had_ that hat told him? She looked up again when the Headmistress mentioned something about an exchange program.

"Several students from America will be staying with us this year. I'm sure you'll all welcome them and give them a good impression of our school. Now, you may go ahead and eat." Rose tucked into the meal, marveling at the quality of the food. She could scarcely believe there had been a time when house elves weren't paid for their services.

"Hey, Ro!" A cheerful voice called. She located its source; her cousin Lucy, who was pushing through a group of first years so she could squeeze in next to her. "Did you hear about Molly? She's acting like she was crowned Queen; just because she's Gryffindor prefect. Grandma even dropped by to congratulate her! Can you believe it?" She exclaimed huffily.

Rose smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry; it's only two years until you'll have a shot."

"I suppose your right." Lucy admitted, sighing dramatically. "Wait, who's this?"

"Lucy, Pearl; Pearl, Lucy." Rose said, introducing the two girls. "She's one of the exchange students."

"Well, well, well! You're a lucky girl, you know; Hogwarts is the best Wizarding school in the world, and Ravenclaws the best House! So… welcome!"

"Pearl started to thank her, but before she could Lucy was off on another tangent about something or other. Rose thought about the best way to get a message to Albus. At least he had Adrian and Hylla to keep him company for the time being. By the time dessert came around, she decided he'd be okay until the morning. She ate her peach cobbler in silence as Lucy explained Quiddicth to a wide-eyed Pearl. Soon after, they were escorted up several flights of stairs by the Ravenclaw prefect. He led them to the common room and explained how to open the door.

"Is there a brave first year in the crowd who'd like to open the door for us?" he asked. Rose raised her hand, but Pearl's was up first. The boy called on her, and she pushed her glasses up higher on the bridge of her nose before stepping forward.

"Well hello there!" The door called cheerily. "Can you tell me what walks on four legs in -"

"A man. Or woman for that matter." Pearl blurted out before the door could finish its riddle. "And you didn't need to give me an easy one just because I'm a first year." The door swung open and she breezed through it, ignoring the shocked looks on everyone's faces.

"How did you know that?" The Ravenclaw boy demanded. Pearl shrugged.

"It's only the most famous riddle ever. My mom taught it to me when I was six." The boy shook his head in wonder before pulling out a long role of parchment. He read off the names of who would be staying in each room. Rose was delighted to hear that she and Pearl would be sharing a room, along with two other girls named Claire, and Dessa. They climbed the tower's winding staircase and found themselves in a room with four plush beds. There was a bookshelf in one corner and a desk in the other. The bedspreads were blue with thin stripes of bronze.

She approached the bed with her suitcase at its foot. She glanced at the bedside table and gasped in dismay. Alacer's cage was there, and the raven was peering out at her. Tied to the cage was a note that read

 _We tried to put him in the Owlery, but the owls took an immediate disliking to him. You will be permitted to keep him in your room for the time being. If he causes any disturbances we will have to ask you to send him home. We apologize for any inconvenience._

Rose groaned. Why hadn't she just chosen an owl? Alacer had been the only other kind of bird in the whole pet shop, and the owner had assured her he was just as capable of carrying mail as an owl. She thought back to what the Sorting Hat had said about her being rebellious. Perhaps it was right. She just hated the thought of being like everyone else. Pearl glanced over at her sympathetically.

"My pet's a little unusual too." She said, indicating the small tank she'd set on top of the dresser. A bright green frog- or maybe it was a toad- could be seen perched on a rock, half submerged in water. "I named it Bob; a request from my little brother." Rose smiled.

"I have a younger brother as well. His name's Hugo, and he's always making mischief." Pearl giggled, but suddenly her eyes widened and her face went slack. She turned quickly to stare at the amphibian in the tank.

"Uh, Rose?" she asked, her voice quavering slightly. "Is it normal for wizard pets, to, um… talk?" Rose was puzzled for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Oh, that was a good one! You looked so sincere! I _must_ introduce you to my cousin Roxanne- she loves to make jokes like that." Pearl chuckled, but she sounded a little nervous.

"Yeah- a talking, telepathic, toad. How weird would that be?" she said, sounding a bit tense. She started unpacking her suitcase, and Rose did the same. After a few minutes of quiet folding, she decided to break the silence.

"Does your mother have an interest in Greek mythology?" she asked idly. Pearl was taken aback.

"What makes you think that?" Rose shrugged, smoothing out the creases in a blouse.

"You mentioned that she taught you the riddle of the Sphinx. My mum also studies different kinds of mythology, but her favourite is that of the ancient Greeks. Her name's Hermione, like the daughter of Helen- you know, Helen of Troy?" Pearl's smile returned, and she looked relieved.

"Yes, I often study it with my parents. It's a hobby of theirs." The girls chatted until it was time to get ready for bed. When they were told to turn out the lights, Rose snuggled under the covers of her bed, listening to the wind outside the tower and the soft rustling of Alacer's feathers. She reflected upon the day and decided it had gone pretty well. She'd made a friend, as well as several nice acquaintances, and she'd managed not to faint on her way to get sorted. The only thing bothering her was the memory of Albus' crestfallen face at supper. She thought of the way it had lingered for so long on his head, just as it had for the blond boy who'd been sorted into Gryffindor. Scorpius Malfoy. She couldn't help feeling that the two boys were connected somehow. But that was a puzzle to be solved another day.

* * *

 **Let me know what you thought, and if you have any ideas for future chapters. The next one will be in Sammy's point of view, and it should be up in a little while. Thanks, stickysillyputty.**

 **And now… Three fun facts about Rose Lavender Weasley!**

 **1\. She once got so mad at her brother Hugo for constantly mimicking her that she stole her mother's wand and spellbook so she could turn him into a parrot. After doing so, Hermione grounded her for three weeks, during which time she was forced to re-read all of** _ **Hogwarts: A History.**_

 **2\. A month before journeying to Hogwarts, she'd helped her mother organize the annual Weasley girls slumber party. It took place on the same night as the annual Weasley boys sleepover, held at her Aunt Ginny's and Uncle Harry's house. Together, the two groups managed to rack up a total of nine notices from the Ministry of Magic about their use of underage magic; beating their previous record of seven.**

 **3\. After several failed attempts to tame her thick, bushy hair with homemade potions, she resolved to always keep it some form of braid, the styles of which have gotten more and more elaborate as she's aged.**


	6. Author's Note (don't panic!)

**Hi everyone! I know it's been a while since I last updated, but I've been pretty busy recently. So no, I do not yet have a new chapter. When I do write it, it will be in Sammy's POV. Meanwhile, I'd like it if some of you would comment or P.M. with what you'd like to see happen. I'll consider requests for pairings, events, or whatever else you want to suggest. If you leave a suggestion, or review/favourite/follow, you will earn points for your House. You can also earn points by answering the poll on my profile, which concerns the plot of this story. Be sure to tell me if you think you're a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Points will be shown below. Also, check out the poll on my profile! It has a question about an event that might take place in this story.**

 **Gryffindor: 25 Hufflepuff:20 Ravenclaw:40 Slytherin:30**

 **Peace out,**

 **stickysillyputty**


	7. Chapter 6

**Stickysillyputty here. I'm finally back! I'm so sorry about the long hiatus, and I hope you guys can forgive me. This chapter is dedicated to** **DanAndPhil202,who taught me a lot about what it's like to be a Hufflepuff.**

Sammy yawned and stretched, sitting up in his bed. The top of his head bumped against something, and he rubbed it gingerly. He looked around muzzily, wondering where he was. He took in the cozy, yellow-carpeted room occupied by three bunk beds. He was on one of the top bunks, which explained his close proximity to the ceiling. All of the other beds still had their black and yellow checked quilts drawn up to the chins of their owners. With a jolt, he realized that the setup of the room was quite similar to the Hephaestus cabin. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over him. If this really were cabin nine, it would be his sister on the bunk below him, not some strange boy he'd never met before last night. Actually, they wouldn't be in there bunks at all; they'd be in their underground rooms, surround by half-finished projects. Or at home, listening to their mother singing as she made breakfast.

He hopped out of bed and shimmied down the short ladder, careful not to wake any of his new roommates. He opened his trunk and nearly squealed when he saw what was inside. The rat he'd gotten from the pet store was dozing on his hastily folded black robes. Grimacing, he picked it up by its long tail. The rodent woke abruptly and thrashed about, trying to scratch him. He tossed it back into the trunk, where it bared its teeth at him. Why had he even decided to by the beady-eyed little creature? Thinking back on it, his only motive had been to prove to Marie that he wasn't scared of rats. Now that he actually had to deal with the rodent, he saw how bothersome it was. It was as useless as a rusted gear. Rusty… perhaps he would name it that.

After quickly getting dressed, he scooped the rat up, careful not to disturb it this time. He dropped it into his robe pocket, and dumped a handful of rat food in after it. He then ambled out the door and down a short staircase. He found himself in a cheery-looking room, which he recognized from last night. A crackling fireplace took up most of one wall, and it was surrounded by overstuffed chairs and beanbags. These were occupied by a few older students, who sat laughing and chatting amongst themselves. A blond girl turned when he entered the room.

"Good Morning!" she chirped. "You're a first year aren't, you? Welcome to the Hufflepuff common room! What's your name?"

"Sammy. Sammy Valdez." He said, grinning shyly." After the solemnity of last night's ceremony, he was glad to see that there were some friendly students in the school.

"Oh, you're one of the exchange students, aren't you? We haven't had any of those since the tri-wizard tournament two years ago! And certainly never any Americans! " Some of the other students turned at this, her words having grasped their interest. "I'm Holly, by the way. Hufflepuff prefect. You're an earlier riser than most, it seems. Breakfast will be in about an hour and a half." Sammy nodded uncomfortably. He wished he hadn't come into the common room so soon. It would probably be rude to go back to his room now, but he didn't want to sit awkwardly with these teenagers for that long. Then he thought of Marie. He remembered that the girl's rooms were up the other staircase. He could wake her up, so he'd have someone familiar to talk to.

"I'm gonna go see if my friend's awake" He said, half to himself. The girl who had greeted him nodded absently, engrossed in the story one of her friends was telling. He walked over to the staircase, but as soon as he put his hand on the banister, someone behind him shrieked. He jumped back, and saw everyone staring at him in horror. "What did I do?" he yelped.

"Goodness! You didn't tell us your friend was a girl! If you set foot on that staircase, bad things will happen. Very bad things." Holly gasped. Sammy wondered if she was pulling his leg, but the serious faces of the other students told him she probably wasn't."

"What, boys and girls aren't allowed to hang out? This school is _so_ old-fashioned." He groaned. Another one of the older girls smiled indulgently at him.

"Yes, at times it can seem that way. Especially since electronics don't work here. But don't worry- your friend can come into your dorm; you just can't go to hers. And you'll see each other in class and during meals. And you can always use the common room as your hang-out space. Just don't trash it." She warned playfully. Sammy relaxed slightly. So if he couldn't talk to Marie…

"What about one of my other friends, then? My buddy T.J. is in Gryffindor, and-" He stopped when he saw Holly's pitying expression.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. You can't enter Gryffindor tower without the password. And even if you knew it, well, the teachers usually discourage students from hanging out in the other houses." Sammy was stunned. He'd assumed the school would be different and challenging, but he'd thought all six of his friends would be by his side to face it. After all, he'd known most of them since he'd been in diapers. Although, when he was around seven, T.J.'s family had moved. Shortly after, so had Pearl's. Before long, they were scattered all over the country. And since Marie lived in Canada during the year, so she was technically in a different country.

His parents had tried to explain that powerful demigods living near each other attracted monsters, but at the time it had seemed terribly unjust, especially since they couldn't keep in touch through phone calls and e-mails like most people. They made do with letters and Iris-messages, but summer was what everyone looked forward to. They spent all of July at Camp Jupiter, and all of August at Camp Half-Blood. Part of the reason he'd agreed to come here was the thought of a whole year spent with his friends. He'd thought these colour- coordinated teams were like the cabins at Greek camp, but it seemed they were closer to the Roman Cohorts; way too competitive and fixed on their own ideals. Still, even the cohort system allowed campers to socialize more freely than tis one.

Sighing, he slumped down on one of the beanbags. He felt something moving in his pocket, and a second later Rusty scrambled out. Turning so the other students couldn't see him, he lifted the rat to eye level. He felt silly for what he was about to do, but it couldn't hurt, right. After all, no matter how useless the rat seemed, it was still magical. "Alright, Rusty" he whispered. "T.J. swears up and down that his owl can understand him, so I thought maybe you could, too. You know Marie? The girl with the curly black hair? She's the one who suggested I buy you." The rat's whiskers twitched, but it showed no recognition. "Anyways, if you recognize her, could you find her? She's somewhere past those stairs. Just wake her up and bring her down here, okay?" The rat stared back at him, it's beady eyes blank. Sammy was disappointed. He'd known it was a long shot, but-

Suddenly, Rusty sprung from his hand and darted up the staircase. Before Sammy could blink, the rat had disappeared from view. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that no one had noticed. When Rusty hadn't returned after five minutes, he started to worry. It was possible that the rodent hadn't understood him at all, but just tried to escape. He debated asking someone what to do, but couldn't pluck up the courage. He wished he wasn't so awkward around strangers. Crystal didn't have that problem; she stayed with their mom at the front of the garage, or in the greenhouse. She loved chatting with customers, and they were put at ease by her friendly demeanor. Sammy, on the other hand, kept to the back of the shop, where he wouldn't have to interact with anyone.

After ten more minutes of anxious waiting, Rusty scampered back down the stairs. Shortly behind him was Marie, her shoes in one hand and hairbrush in the other. When she saw him, she looked puzzled.

"Sammy? What's the matter?" She asked. "Your rat came into my room, and pulled my hair until I woke up. He kept squeaking until I came down here! I thought there was an emergency!" her exclamations gained her the attention of everyone in the common room. Realizing what a spectacle she was making, her cheeks flushed dark red. Sammy caught sight of Holly trying to hold in a laugh.

"I'll go out on a limb and guess that you're the _friend_ Sammy was talking about?" The prefect said with a giggle. "Wow, he must really have been really desperate to see you. I can see you two are pretty close." Several of the others were laughing now too, and Sammy realized the implication behind the words.

"Oh, um, we're not, she's not my, uh-" he stammered, but he was cut off by Marie.

"Yes, we are very close. Just as we are close to all of our friends." She said rather tartly, breezing past them to sit next to him on the floor. Holly smiled fondly and patted her on the head.

"Alright, then. But just saying, you two would be adorable together." Marie ducked her head to hide her flushed cheeks. By the time she had finished tying the laces of her runners, she had regained her composure. She began to brush her tangled hair, wincing as she hit snarls. After a few minutes, Sammy batted her hand aside and took the brush from her. Ignoring her protests, he set to work picking apart the knots in her dark hair. She shot a worried glance at the older girls, who were grinning like Cheshire cats.

"You know, Sammy, you don't have to-" she started, but he cut her off.

"Relax, Goldie. They're just like the girls from the Aphrodite Cabin. Once they get bored of "shipping" us, they'll drop it" He said, speaking in a low tone so he wouldn't be overheard. "Besides, I'm good at this. I've been brushing out Crystal's hair every morning since she was three. It looks like a bird's nest otherwise, and she refuses to go out in public like that. Sometimes I wonder if _she's_ actually a daughter of Aphrodite." Marie giggled lightly, but Sammy felt a touch of sadness. Who was brushing his sister's hair now? He recalled a fight they'd had last year. She'd refused to talk to him, and locked him out of her room. When he'd picked her lock the next day, he'd found her crying, with a comb hopelessly entangled in her curly locks. He'd forgiven her instantly, and they hadn't had an argument of that magnitude since.

Shaking his head to clear it, he turned his attention back to Marie. Before long, they fell into the familiar rhythm of conversation that had become natural over the years. Still, he found himself missing Cassie's jokes, Pearl's sarcastic wit, and Adrian's rare comments, which ranged from morbid to profound depending on his mood. He remembered a time when he'd overheard his father reminiscing about the past. 'We were like parts of a machine; we couldn't work properly unless we were all together.' Leo had said. Now Sammy was feeling the same way about his own friends. As much as it hurt to be miles away from them during the school year, it was a lot worse to know that they were in the building as him but he couldn't talk to them.

Before he knew it, it was time for breakfast. He filed out of the common room with Marie and all the other Hufflepuffs. He tried to catch a glimpse of his companions as everyone flooded into the room, but it was next to impossible to pick out individuals in the teeming crowd. He gave up on his search when a plate of food appeared before him. He was about to take a bite of his food when he caught sight of Marie staring forlornly at her own meal.

"Eggs. Bacon. Even this toast is slathered with butter. I can't eat this!" She moaned, pushing the plate away. Sammy was about to speak when a high-pitched voice piped up from behind them.

"Something the matter, Miss?" they turned to see a short, wrinkled, little creature with a concerned expression on it's pointy- nosed face. It was dressed in a tiny shirt and shorts held up by suspenders, with a an oversized hat balanced precariously on it's large ears. "Ponky can help you, yes he can!" Sammy gaped at the creature, while Marie tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Ponky... is that your name?" She asked. The creature nodded enthusiastically. "Do you know where I could find some food that doesn't contain any animal products? An apple or a piece of plain toast would be fine." Ponky grinned from ear to giant ear.

"You can count on Ponky, Miss, yes you can!" He squeaked, before snapping his fingers and vanishing into thin air. Marie and Sammy exchanged puzzled looks. Then Sammy spoke, somewhat bashfully.

"So, Goldie... since you're vegan and whatnot, can I have your bacon?" Marie rolled her eyes in disgust, before dumping the entire contents of her plate onto his and turning her back to him angrily. "I'm sorry!" He whined. "I respect that you're vegan, really- I just don't understand how you can live without _bacon_." She whirled on him with a glare.

"In case you've forgotten, I can turn _into_ a pig." She hissed in a harsh whisper. "Just watching you eat is enough to make me queasy." Sammy's face fell, and he rushed to apologize. Before any words could escape his mouth, however, Ponky reappeared, balancing a huge bowl of oatmeal and a plate of elaborately arranged fruit. Marie's eyes widened as he placed the food in front of her, a proud smile lighting up his little face. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble!" Ponky shook his head so emphatically that his hat nearly flew off.

"Not at all, Miss! It's a House Elf's job to serve!" Marie froze with her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Serve? You're not... a slave, are you?" she asked, worry creasing her features. This time the little elf's hat really _did_ fly off in his eagerness to convey the answer to her question.

"Oh no, no, no! We like it here very much, yes we do! We house elves are treated real nice, yes we are!" Marie relaxed and her smile returned.

"Alright. Just making sure. And thank you again for the food. It looks wonderful" Ponky beamed at the compliment.

"Thank you kindly, Miss. Ponky'll make sure you always get the right food, yes he will. And if you're hungry between meals, you can-" He hopped up on the bench to whisper the instructions into her ear. Before she had a chance to reply, he'd disappeared yet again.

"What did he say?" Sammy asked, guiltily noshing on his bacon.

"Somethig about tickling a pear?" she said in bewilderment. Seeing his shamefaced expression, she sighed. "Look, Sam, I'm sorry I snapped. I'm not mad at you; I'm just grumpy because I'm hungry and tired. There was hardly anything I could eat at dinner last night, and one of my new roommates snores like a snowmobile. And, well, I'm kind of frustrated we couldn't talk to our other friends this morning. I miss seeing Adrian, and I'm worried about Hylla. She was so reluctant to come here, and now I can't even reassure her." Sammy patted awkwardly her on the back.

"I know how you feel." he mumbled, wishing he could better express himself. He knew he sounded stiff and insincere, but he was terrible with words. "Hey, maybe we'll see them in our first class." He suggested hopefully. Marie offered him a sad smile.

"I hope you're right, Sam. I really do"

The smell of soil and fresh flowers hit Sammy like a brick wall, triggering a fresh wave of homesickness. The 'classroom' reminded of his mother's greenhouse back home. How many hours had he spent there, sowing seeds and pulling weeds? More than he could count, certainly. Truth be told, he preferred it even to his father's workshop. If it weren't for the tradition of Valdez men- and women- becoming mechanics, he would have devoted himself even more to gardening. But he was sure he'd break his father's heart if he turned away from the family trade. Not to mention be shunned by all of his fellow Hephaestus campers.

"What's up, bro?" a loud voice called from behind him. He couldn't suppress a grin as he turned to find TJ, who was looking even more disheveled than usual. They ran towards each other and quickly executed the complicated handshake they'd perfected when they were eight. "Dude! This school is the bomb! How have you been?" The taller boy inquired as he mussed his friend's wavy hair. When he removed his hand, Sammy's hair stood on end from the static electricity crackling between his fingers. Sammy laughed and patted it back into place.

"Really, Volts, there's no reason for that. Your hair is crazy enough for the both of you." A girl's voice drawled. Sammy glanced over TJ's shoulder and saw Cassie leaning against the doorframe, her wand holding her long hair up in a messy bun.

"You're one to talk." the blond snorted. Cassie punched him playfully in the shoulder as she passed. The trio joined Marie, who was looking considerably happier than before due to their arrival. The four of them sat down around one of the long tables, swapping stories and opinions on everything that had happened. Marie was in the middle of regaling her encounter with the House Elf Ponky, who she likened to the Harpies at Camp Half-Blood, when Sammy felt a sharp tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a tall girl with a wide smile plastered on her face.

"Hey there!" she said, her voice dripping with false cheeriness. "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you're sitting at the wrong table." Sammy swallowed nervously, looking around at the students seated at the table. At first he didn't understand what the girl was talking about, but then he noticed; each of them was wearing a red-and-gold striped necktie. His gaze swung to the other table, which was solely occupied by Hufflepuffs.

"I don't see the problem." Cassie replied. Her tone was blithe, but her eyes held a challenge. The other girl's expression hardened.

"Really? Do I need to spell it out for you?" She snapped, looming over them. The air crackled as TJ frowned, and Marie held up her hands defensively.

"Are there seriously rules about who has to sit where?" she demanded. By this time, students from both of the tables were starting to take notice, and Sammy didn't want to make a scene.

"Come on, Goldie" he implored, tugging gently at his friend's arm. "It's not worth it" Marie stood, but she looked at him as though he'd betrayed her. He felt his throat burn with shame. What would his namesake say if he saw his decedent being so cowardly? What would his _dad_ say? Sammy didn't even want to imagine his disappointment. Cassie looked as though she were ready to pick a fight with the haughty Gryffindor girl, but was interrupted when the greenhouse doors flew open. The students who were still standing scrambled to sit down. A man in teacher's robes rushed in, nearly dropping the many scrolls he was carrying.

"Sorry I'm late." He wheezed, bent double in an attempt to catch his breath. "I'm Professor Longbottom. I'll be your Herbology teacher this year." He explained as he dropped the scrolls on his desk. "I'll take attendance now, to make sure you're all here." The class seemed to fly by, and for the first time since his parents had announced that he would have the chance to move to Britain, Sammy felt totally at the peace. It turned out Professor Longbottom preferred hands-on learning for his pupils, which was just fine with Sammy. It had been far too long since he'd been up to his elbows in dirt. Their assignment was fairly simple; repotting ferns with magical properties that would later be used in Potions class. Sammy lost himself in the task, a smile slowly spreading over his face. He was startled out of his trance by a voice from over his shoulder. "I think it likes you." Professor Longbottom commented.

Sammy looked down at his hands, and saw that the fern had curled itself around his wrist. A quick glance around the table confirmed that none of his peers were receiving the same treatment, and he silently cursed himself. Plants always gravitated to him, most likely because he'd inherited some of his mother's powers. He hadn't realized it could give away the secret he and his friends were trying to keep. "Oh, I, um, it's just" he fumbled, trying to think of a reasonable explanation, but the professor wasn't fazed.

"Some people just have a way with plants." The man said with a smile. "I remember my first few years at Hogwarts; Herbology was the only class I did well in." He gently stroked the fern encircling Sammy's arm, and it released him. He took a look at the Sammy's hands, and chuckled. "I see you like to have more contact with the plants." He gestured to the other students, who were avoiding getting their hands in the soil. "Using tools like spades is fine, but you don't get as much of a bond with the plant you're working with. It's like petting a cat with gloves on." Sammy looked at him in wonder. He hadn't expected to meet anyone who understood what he felt when he worked with plants, least of a teacher. "If you'd like, I can show you a spell that can get the dirt out from under your fingernails." Professor Longbottom offered. Sammy accepted gladly, feeling certain that he was going to like this class, snobby Gryffindor girls or otherwise.

Sammy's next class was Potions. They shared the class with Slytherin, much to his and Marie's delight. She rushed to get a seat next to Adrian, while he slid in to the desk beside Hylla.

"Are we still on for Spanish lessons?" she asked him once he'd sat down.

"Of course." He replied. Hylla, whose family spoke Spanish as much as they did English, had been helping him practice Spanish since they were nine, when he'd first expressed a desire to learn. His father had been thrilled, so Sammy had resolved to study regularly. "We'll just have to find somewhere to practice, since were apparently not supposed to go to each other's common rooms." Hylla opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off when their potions teacher entered the room.

' _We will.'_ She tapped out in Morse code on the back of his hand, causing him to chuckle. Hylla had requested he teach her Morse code in return for teaching him Spanish. He never thought they'd get to use it to communicate during class. For a moment, he almost felt like a normal student, in a normal classroom. It ended abruptly as the professor caused a small explosion at the front of the room, snapping him back to his decidedly abnormal reality.

The rest of the class passed rather uneventfully. Sammy exited in a good mood, scanning the crowded hallway for Marie. He knew he should apologize for pulling her away from the fight in Herbology, even if he`d meant well. Before he could find her, though, a commotion arose. He darted through the crowd quickly gathering crowd of students to see what was happening A dark haired boy had a smaller blond boy pinned to the wall and was threatening him.

"Don't play dumb with me!" he shouted. "I know you did something!" It took a moment for Sammy to recognize the boy as Albus' brother James, who he'd seen only briefly on the train. The blond boy squirmed in his grip, his grey eyes flashing with defiance. As Sammy watched, the boy managed to grab his wand. He'd only just raised it when suddenly a voice rang out over the assembled crowd.

"Expelliarmus!"

 **Have you ever written had a character that developed very differently then you thought they would? That's what Sammy is for me. I thought I had a pretty firm grasp on his personality, but writing about him in this chapter has really changed that. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I had time to work on this story. On a completely unrelated note, writing this chapter led me to do a lot of unnecessary research on bacon. As a Canadian, it is hard to understand the difference between normal bacon, British bacon, and "Canadian" bacon, which is just back bacon. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please check out the poll on my profile concerning this story; it's at a fifty-fifty split right now. Peace out, stickysillyputty.**

 **And now… Three fun facts about Sam Perseus Valdez.**

 **He was three years old when he first discovered he could conjure fire. He was with Calypso in the greenhouse when he accidentally set a row of tomato plants ablaze, causing him to burst into tears. It was a long time before he was comfortable even attempting to use his talent. He still uses his fire very infrequently, and will avoid it if he can.**

 **His first crush occurred the age of nine, he developed a crush on a daughter of Demeter who was two years his senior. He was soundly rejected, and still has trouble meeting her eye.**

 **He has a passionate love of peanut butter.**


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